My Favorites from 1-4

Warning: super photo heavy post
So I was just going through all my photo hunts.. I've done 12 of them (combination of Kristi's {10} and Nicole's {2})

So... I wanted to share some of my personal favorites from each of the hunts with you lovely people... especially since some of you haven't been with me as long as I've been doing these.  First things first - Kristi has made a badge for us photo hunt marathoners... and, while I don't really do badges on my blog, I'm now wearing this one proudly (on my sidebar, yo)!

Now - on to my favorites:

From my very first photo hunt I was able to pick a few - my 1st photo hunt really got me out with my, at the time, new camera.  It was the push I needed to learn what the hell I was doing. I'm so thankful for this first photo hunt!  This took place from mid-February to mid-March 2009

This theme was 'Local Product' - this is my computer desk with post it notes all over it as 3M is a local product.  I thought it was pretty neat and all the post-it's came from my co-workers digging through their recycling bins to find them!

This next picture is 'Local Transportation'.  I am in the back seat of Steve's car, driving home from the Mall of America/Ikea and inside the Lowery Tunnel.  I took a ton of pictures and really only came out with one, maybe two, good ones.  Turns out it's pretty hard to take a picture in a dark setting while a car is moving.  I think I could probably take this same shot today with more knowledge and come out with better results.. but I'm not willing to try to find out.

'Night Sky' is the next shot, and for it being one of my first times really playing around with night shots, I was pretty happy with how this turned out.  Not the best night shot ever, but for my first time, I think it's pretty decent, especially considering I took it in my backyard and there is quite a bit of light pollution in my area.

Alright, last and final shot from my first photo hunt is 'A Part of You' (you being me in this case).  This is one of my favorite shots from all of the hunts I've done just because I think it's awesome!  See for yourself:

It's me in a tanning bed (FYI - I am completely naked in this picture, TMI?  Too bad.)

Moving right along to my 2nd photo hunt - I have selected 8 photos from this hunt - it was a good one for me and I remember clearly putting a lot of time and effort into this one, with lots of help and companionship from Steve, who at the time was not my boyfriend, officially :)  This hunt took place in April of 2009.

This first shot is 'An Interesting Doorway' - this shot was taken at what used to be an Insane Asylum.. lots of horror stories that surround that place.  Going there at night is/was scary... I took this picture from Steve's car.  

'A Drink' is the next topic - this shot doesn't need much explanation other than YUM!

This shot is 'A Classic Car'.  I went with a couple friends to an old junkyard... this place is full of old classic cars, all junkers - it was a pretty neat place.  I'm hoping to make it back this coming Spring.  Anyhow - this particular car I found was a favorite because the license plate says ANG - and I'm sorry, that's just fricken cool as all get out!

These next couple are my favorites and I'm having a hard time picking which to show you next, so just know I like all of these next few - they are my favorites of my 2nd hunt, and some of my favorite shots ever

'Something in Motion' - we have an energy windmill in a city up here and I thought what an absolute perfect thing to shoot for motion.  This was taken in broad day light, which is hard to do!

'Self Portrait' is the theme for this shot and I didn't like this picture and still don't really... however Steve told me that this picture is great and I should use it... so I did.  The response I got in the comments was amazing, so I guess I'm just being my own worse critic.

Up next is 'Reflection' - this is downtown Minneapolis,  on the observation deck of the Foshay Tower - the Foshay building is the reflection in that other building.. I was happy that it came out so wonderfully.

'Lights at Night' - I absolutely love the way this turned out.  I had Steve with me one night downtown and we set up my tripod many different places trying to capture a 'lights at night' photo.

The image that got the highest praise in the comments was my 'Cemetery' shot.  It's also a personal favorite of mine as well.  Steve and I went to this cemetery in Anoka and took a bunch of different photos.  With a long shutter speed you can absorb tons of light, so we had some fun with things... we tried to make it look like there were ghosts walking and other things, but the final image I decided on for the hunt was this one: 

Up next is a few shots from my 3rd photo hunt.  I was in New York and Missouri for this one, so you'd think I'd have ended up with more than 3 favorites, but... 3 is all you get.  This hunt took place in May of 2009.

Up first is 'A Fish' - this was a little bugger hanging out in a restaurant... was he meant to be that's nights dinner, I doubt it.  He lives in NYC and there are plenty of fish in the sea... HHAHAHAHA!  I'm so not funny.

This 'Fire' shot was taken in Steve's closet - no joke, we must have gone through a whole box of matches to get this shot.  I really love the way it turned out - Steve was a champ lighting all these matches too!

My favorite of this particular hunt is 'Manhole Cover' - this was taken in Brooklyn, NY.  It was a beautiful day - lots of memories surrounding that day including but not limited to, walking over the Brooklyn Bridge :)

My 4th hunt took place in June of 2009.  I remember playing around a bit more with photoshop for this one, but not yet feeling comfortable with my skill to play too much.  If only I knew then what I know now!

This picture was taken in Minnesota, while camping.. in Taylors Falls I believe.  It was a fricken COLD night.  We were sleeping in tents and I remember Steve and I slept as close as possible all night long - it was miserable.  Theme for this one is 'Fire'.

'Lens Flare' was a new concept to me at this point, but I did understand what it looked like.  I was walking about in Minneapolis one lovely day and kept looking for a way to create this effect... this is what I came up with - cool, huh?

I've never been big on 'Marco' photography, but these hunts test boundary's and force us to step outside of our comfort levels, so I was glad to play around with it and I'm glad I did because I really love this photo

'Round' is the theme for this next photo and while it may not seem like anything special, to me, it has a lot of humor and memory behind it.  First, it's Steve's car, so it makes him happy, which makes me happy.  Second, I did some editing to it and, to the naked eye, you can't tell.  Third, I love the depth of it.

This next one needs little explanation, 'Street Scene' is the subject and I just love it!

'Water' - tell me this photo is not BOMB!  This is at the Anoka Dam; I love night photos!

Ok- this is getting really long.  I'm going to be done for now, but I have the rest of my favorites picked out to post... maybe tomorrow.  It'll give us something to look forward to!